Expedition Unknown

Amazing Places Featured on Expedition Unknown, Season 2

In season 2 of Expedition Unknown, the adventures get even bigger, the climbs get higher and the dives go deeper. Check out some highlights from host Josh Gates' latest investigations around the world in places like Ecuador, Austria, Haiti and more.

Yonaguni Ruins, Japan

Josh Gates and his crew go underwater to investigate the sunken Yonaguni rock formation ruins off the coast of Japan.

Yonaguni Ruins, Japan

The debate has raged for years: Are the Yonaguni ruins a natural formation or man-made?

Josh’s Mode of Transport, Japan

Josh Gates travels light to explore the small Yonaguni island to investigate whether the Yonaguni ruins off the coast of Japan are natural or man-made.

Jungles of Yonaguni, Japan

Josh stumbles upon this holy site with a face-like structure, similar to one seen in the underwater ruins, while searching the Yonaguni jungle. Its origins are completely unknown and is considered a guardian looking over the ruins.

Artifacts from the pirate Blackbeard’s ship, North Carolina

In North Carolina, archaeologist Billy Ray Morris shows Josh Gates an anchor, one of the remaining pieces of the infamous English pirate Blackbeard's flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge.

Blackbeard’s Lodge, North Carolina

This funky lodge is owned and operated by Blackbeard’s quartermaster’s descendant. Ask for Chip to see the family tree!

Springer’s Point, North Carolina

Josh Gates and treasure hunter Ed Lavado get access to this restricted nature preserve, with historic wells like this one that more likely were visited by Blackbeard himself, to hunt for the pirate’s lost treasure.

Coast of Springer’s Point, North Carolina

As Ed Lavado digs, Josh Gates inspects an artifact that might be a part of Blackbeard's lost treasure.

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

Josh Gates visits Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall, which is believed to have been the home of the Ark of the Covenant, during his search for the True Cross of Jesus Christ.

Underground Clues, Istanbul

Josh teams up with a group of archaeologists to search the underworld of Istanbul for the True Cross of Jesus Christ.

Ancient Chariot Racing Stadium, Istanbul

The air is potentially toxic in the tunnels behind this door of a building from the Byzantine era in Istanbul. Josh and a group of archaeologists prepare to explore the tunnels in search of biblical relics hidden underground.

Underneath the Hippodrome, Istanbul

Josh and the archaeologists wade through potentially toxic knee-deep water in the tunnels beneath the ancient chariot racing stadium to search for biblical relics and the True Cross of Jesus Christ.

Searching for Suleiman, Hungary

Josh travels by land and air to search for the lost heart of Suleiman the Magnificent, the longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Underground Wine Cellar, Hungary

Josh and his guides explore a Hungarian cellar below a wine vineyard where they believe the lost heart of Suleiman the Magnificent may be buried.

Underwater Nazi Treasure, Austria

Josh suits up to search for treasures buried and stolen by the Third Reich during World War II. There have been finds in surrounding lakes, here, but this one has yet to be searched.

Excavated Site, Austria

Local researcher Andreas Sulzer leads Josh into a restricted area behind an old rifle range to show him an excavated site with a possible entrance to a hidden underground Nazi facility.

Hazyview, South Africa

In 1900, South African President Paul Kruger flees with his country’s entire financial reserves, gold coins worth about $1 billion in today’s currency. Kruger’s fortune has never been found, but evidence of its existence is out there. Josh meets with the chief of the Shangana Tribe in South Africa to get permission to search Kruger National Park for clues. The chief also gifts Josh with a spear to protect him from dangerous wildlife inside.

Sudewala Caves, South Africa

Archaeologist Anton van Vollenhoven has found Kruger-era artifacts like weaponry inside these caves, some of the oldest on Earth.

Sudewala Caves, South Africa

Josh and Anton explore the cathedral-like caves – and its too-small-for-large-TV-cameras passageways – in search of Kruger-era artifacts.

Kalahari Desert, South Africa

Josh goes airborne in this Gyrocopter to investigate the legend of G.A. Farini’s lost city. The acrobatic daredevil and explorer claimed in the late 1800s that he had come across the ruins of a lost city half buried in the sands of Africa’s Kalahari Desert.

Cape Town, South Africa

Josh begins his search for the lost city the same way Farini began his Kalahari adventure – arriving in Cape Town by boat.

Kalahari Desert, South Africa

Josh and explorer Adam Cruise have to improvise when it comes to travel in the Kalahari Desert.

Bakong Cave, Philippines

During World War II, the Japanese collected a vast fortune of gold by looting across Asia and transported it to the Philippines. After the Allies won the war, the fortune was inexplicably lost. Here, Josh searches a cave system rumored to have treasure left behind by the Japanese with two local treasure hunters.

Mode of Transport, Philippines

It’s never a dull moment with Josh on the move. His mode of transport in the Philippines to an excavation site is buffalo.

Excavation Site, Philippines

After trekking through thick jungle, Josh and treasure hunter Henry Roxas explore an expansive cave system that may contain the lost treasure of Japanese general Tomoyuki Yamashita.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Josh’s first stop in his investigation of the origins of the legendary utopia of Shangri-La is Nepal’s capital city.

Chhusang, Nepal

Shangri-La is inspired by a mythical kingdom in Buddhist tradition known as Shambhala. The trek through Nepal to the mysterious sky caves, the possible location of the hidden utopia, isn’t an easy one.

Mustang Region, Nepal

Surely this bridge in Nepal is safe to pass through...

Himalayas

After hours of hiking and with the help of some homemade ladders, Josh and his crew reach a hidden chamber more than 14,000 feet high in the Himalayan mountains.

Hidden Caves, Himalayas

Josh and archaeologists Mark Aldenderfer and Mohan Singh Lama discover remnants of a culture that hasn’t been seen in 500 years.

Madeira, Spain

Built by local craftsman, this is one of the only working replicas of the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus’ flagship used in his first voyage. Josh takes a ride in the replica during his voyage to investigate the true story of Columbus and search for his remains.

Archive General de Indeas, Spain

Josh Gates and archivist Consuela Varella look through documents written by Christopher Columbus himself, left in the Archive General de Indeas in Seville, Spain.

Faro o Colon, Santo Domingo

The Faro o Colon is a massive cross-shaped structure in the Dominican Republic dedicated to Christopher Columbus and almost cathedral-like in its enormity. Here, historians believe they have the real remains of Columbus, a claim that has divided Dominicans and Spaniards, who believe they actually have the real remains.

Faro o Colon, Santo Domingo

This tomb in the Faro o Colon may hold the remains of Christopher Columbus.

Running of the Bulls, Spain

How could you film in Spain without stopping by the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona? Josh is ready to give it a shot.

Cap-Haitien, Haiti

Archaeologist Alain Norestin introduces Josh to the Tap-Tap, a covered pick-up truck and the standard form of public transit in Cap-Haitien.

Cap-Haitien, Haiti

Josh and Alain dig for clues as to where remnants of Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, may be buried along the coasts of Cap-Haitien where Columbus first settled.

The Center of the World, Ecuador

While traveling Ecuador searching for a long-lost Incan mummy and fortress, Josh visits Quito’s La Mitad del Mundo monument marking the equator -- he has one foot in one hemisphere and one foot in another.

Quito, Ecuador

Josh takes in the culture in Ecuador’s capital city.

Aerial View, Ecuador

Josh’s guide uses a drone to photograph the Incan trails ahead and stitch them together into a road map for directions.